Richard Matthews, FdSc. Dip Counselling (MBACP)

About me

About Me

A warm, friendly, open and caring therapist, offering confidential and supportive counselling in the Cheltenham area. I have a wealth of experience with addiction and related issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma and mental health. Trained in a range of humanistic/ integrative approaches.

What to expect

An initial session where we can meet and get a feel for each other and our potential for working together. I can hear what has bought you to seek help, what you would like to get out of therapy asses what your needs are and give you the opportunity to ask me any questions about myself and how I work, or how I see the therapeutic process.

This initial session is charged at £15 and will last approximately 50 minutes. If at this initial session we decide that we want to continue to work together we will come to an agreement about how many weekly 50 minutes sessions you require,(A range of between 6 and open-ended is usual,this agreement can be revised subject to changing needs)and choose a suitable mutually convenient time to meet each week.

As in my experience each persons therapy is unique. Being trained in a range of humanistic and integrative counselling techniques, ways of working with individual clients tend to suggest themselves from this broad base within the 1st few sessions. I am guided by fundamental principles in all my work. These include a belief that we all have our own answers to our own problems within us, yet may need help to sort through confusion, doubt and difficult emotions in order to find those answers. I believe in helping my clients to do this by creating a safe space, listening deeply without judgement to their experience, I use a range of techniques to help Clients understand themselves and access their own deep inner wisdom. These techniques include psycho-education, mindfulness and other techniques associated with different models of therapy.

Training, qualifications & experience

Experience in counselling and working with people affected by addiction. Work experience includes 'Swindon Options for Life & Recovery' (Solar). As a member of BACP my work is in accordance with their ethical framework and have experience working with a diverse client base including those on the autistic spectrum and people suffering anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, bereavement & loss and a range of different types of trauma, including PTSD and developmental trauma.